One of the ways in which we can help improve the lives of those living with PNES or dissociative seizures is through scientific research. Fortunately, in the last couple of decades, there has been a proliferation of research studies that have focused on risk, prognostic and outcome factors, diagnostic tools, treatment modalities, among other topics. Below you can read about two current projects that may interest you or that you may want to share with someone else.
Online research project to explore the use of an online web application to predict the cause of Transient Loss of Consciousness (TLOC).
The aim of the project is to create an application that can be used by medical professionals in primary care services to differentiate between people with Epilepsy, Dissociative Seizures, or Syncope to help people be referred to the right specialist teams quicker.
Read the description to see if you might be interested in participating:
Have you lost consciousness because you have a diagnosis of either epilepsy, functional (dissociative) seizures, or syncope (fainting)? A team at The University of Sheffield are investigating whether it is possible to use a ‘digital doctor’ to diagnose why a person has experienced transient loss of consciousness (TLOC) and are looking for participants. Visit our website to find out more – https://theipep.shef.ac.uk/projectSummary
Randomized controlled study comparing two treatments for patients diagnosed with PNES and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
This research project is recruiting patients who are diagnosed with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for a treatment trial. This clinical trial is being conducted at the Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group and is examining two types of cognitive behavioral therapy for reducing the frequency and severity of seizures in individuals with PNES. The sessions will all be administered through an online (computer) platform. This study’s goal is to analyze changes in seizure characteristics and psychological symptoms associated with the two therapy types to further our understanding of treatment effectiveness for PNES.
Patients must reside in New York or New Jersey (for professional licensing reasons)
For more information, please contact Sam Hammer (research coordinator) at shammer@epilepsygroup.com.
This is a great article. I go deeper in understanding the meaning of higher consciousness, I find it very important in the aspect of healing both mind and body. I believe this is something that needs to be healed first. Undergoing life coaching and psychotherapy sessions helps a lot. And having this type of article contributes to a better understanding of the mental aspect.